Transport Minister Robert Goodwill said: "Britain's roads are among the safest in the world, and the number of deaths last year was the lowest since records began in 1926. Road deaths are down nearly 40% on the average for 2005-2009.

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"However, one road death is one too many, which is why we continue to work to tackle dangerous driving and make our roads safer for everyone."

British Cycling's campaigns manager, Martin Key, said: "While cycling is statistically safer than walking, we know that much more could be done to make Britain's roads accommodating for people on bikes. The fact is that our roads are not designed with cycling in mind and these latest road casualty figures are a reflection of that.

"Without adequate and sustained funding for cycling of at least £10 per head, coupled with real political leadership and national targets, Britain will continue to fall far short of great cycling countries like Holland, Germany and Denmark."

RAC technical director David Bizley said: "While the weather must have had an impact on the lower road casualty figures for the first quarter of 2013, the Department for Transport's own recently-released traffic volume data for 2014 only shows a 4.1% year-on-year increase.

"In the absence of a larger difference in traffic volume statistics, which you would, of course, expect if fewer vehicles had been on the road in early 2013, other factors must have contributed to the 16% rise in road casualties.

"It is therefore important that the root cause is understood and acted upon in order to improve road safety for all and reduce the overall number of casualties going forwards."

"The sharp rise in casualties will only serve to further deter people from walking and cycling and promote a growing fear among parents that children are safer inside the car than out.

"It is unacceptable that the Government allows this to continue when a simple solution is at hand. It's time to bite the bullet and make dedicated funding available to transform local walking and cycling routes and introduce lower traffic speeds."

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